Certain diseases of the bowel involve removing a portion of the intestine. This can create a need for an alternate path for the discharge of bodily excrement, i.e. fecal waste. This surgical procedure is called an ostomy and a person having undergone this procedure is medically referred to as an ostomate. Common types of ostomies include colonostomies and ileostomies. An ostomy involves the formation of an opening through an abdomen wall. A portion of the bowel is then pulled through the abdominal wall and an incision is made through the bowel to allow excrement to exit. The surrounding bowel is then sutured or otherwise attached to an exterior portion of the abdominal, which creates what is commonly referred to as a stoma. An ostomate will utilize an appliance such as a colonostomy bag or otherwise, which is attached to the individual's skin, directly about the stoma, and is periodically emptied, as required.
Ostomates are often faced with a permanent and life changing condition affecting many personal issues such as diet, dressing/wardrobe, and bathroom habits. Ostomates learn to modify their lifestyle to accommodate for the intricacies of having a stoma, including learning the use of various new hardware, care and maintenance of the stoma, and other challenges. Issues such as rejoining the workplace or social circles can be particularly worrisome for a new ostomate, as much anxiety is created based upon the uncertainties and new personal challenges that go along with having a stoma.
One particular social drawback for an ostomate is dealing with intestinal gas, i.e. flatulence. Prior to the ostomy, the individual could control the release of flatulence through the sphincter muscle. However, an ostomate no longer has this control, since the flatulence and excrement now freely pass through the stoma, which has no muscles. For many ostomates, it is difficult to control the resulting sounds, which can be embarrassing. As such, new ostomates begin to identify trends of higher stoma activity, or inactivity, based on factors such as time of day, meal consumption, diet or even menstrual cycles in order to better predict potential stoma activity.
All too often, flatulence, or excrement, and resultant sounds, will have a tendency to pass at the most inopportune time, such as during a meeting or a social event. In these circumstances, the ostomate will have little or no warning to the impending sound. Due to the social stigma associated with flatulent noise, and given the personal nature of having an ostomy, many new ostomates find the betraying sounds of passing flatulence and excrement particularly embarrassing. This can be especially true when the new ostomate rejoins the workforce or social circles, as he or she is continuously self-conscious about the potential noise and preemptive action needed to hide their personal condition.
While there have been developments in managing other challenges such as odor discharging from a stoma, little has been effectively done to control noise emanating from the stoma. One sound abatement device that has been developed comprises a woven pouch configured to receive a stoma bag. However, the pouch requires the use of additional hardware, such as a belt or otherwise, to maintain the position of the bag. Unfortunately, the use of additional hardware can be noticeable and uncomfortable as the material of the hardware is typically kept under pressure. During the day, it is difficult for an individual to obtain reprieve from irritation caused by the additional hardware and must wait until he or she is in private, such as at home, to remove the hardware. This is because, often, the device is bulky and wrapped entirely about the individual and disposed under clothing. Further, some bags used for sound abatement is formed of woven material, which is less than satisfactory for the reduction of noise.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved methods and devices for providing noise abatement for an ostomate's stoma, particularly methods and devices that are discreet, are easily operable and removable, and provide an effective level of confidence for the individual.